Sergiy Stakhovsky: ‘Every other player is a lesbian’

MARTINA Navratilova and the WTA Tour have hit back at comments from top 50 player Sergiy Stakhovsky suggesting “every other player is a lesbian” in women’s tennis.

In explosive claims, the Ukrainian said half the women’s tour is gay and he’d never get his daughter to play the game for that reason.

Ukrainian website xsport.ua asked Stakhovsky about “sexual minorities” on the tour because he is a player “known for your openness and readiness to discuss any subject, even the most uncomfortable ones”.

Stakhovsky said there were no gay players on the men’s tour.

“You see, on the ATP, we have a normal atmosphere,” Stakhovsky said, in comments translated by letsecondserve.com.

“If there was anything, we’d know about it, because it’s a very closed circle.

“Earlier there used to be talk about [players’ names omitted]. I won’t sacrifice my hand for the whole tour and the new guys, who are just joining, but in the backbone of the top-100 there are definitely no gays.”

The interviewer followed with a question suggesting Martina Navratilova felt differently. This was a reference to statements Navratilova made in March, when she said: “On the tennis court, I would certainly like to see more players come out.

“I can’t believe that there has never been a male player that has taken that step.

“With each passing celebrity coming out or athlete, it becomes less of a big deal and that’s eventually what we want it to be, for it not just to matter.”

Stakhovsky was also asked in the interview how he would react if his daughter ever married a tennis player.

“I’ll shoot!” he said, jokingly.

“In the beginning, as soon as our daughter was born, I understood that I need to get a gun, arm myself (laughs).

“Seriously though, I will always respect my daughter’s choice. I think that a lot in that matter depends on the parent. I mean, if Anfisa and I raise her well, she’ll pick someone worthy.

“Of course, love can be cruel, but I don’t intend to fight with my daughter because she fell in love with someone. I looked at my father in law, and saw how difficult it was for him to let his two daughters go, so I understand that something similar will happen to me.”

Stakhovsky, 29, is currently ranked 49 in the world. He made headlines in 2013 when he shocked Federer in the Wimbledon second round in 2013, ending the Swiss great’s run of 36 consecutive grand slam semifinals.

This year he has not progressed beyond the second round in any of the grand slams, and was knocked out in the first round of Wimbledon, losing in five sets to Croatian 18-year-old Borna Coric.